Cheltenham ante-post eye-catchers: weekend evaluation 9-10 January
Slot Betting evaluations the newest Cheltenham Festival ante-post betting after a weekend in which novice hurdlers and chasers shone
Despite fears that the chilly snap would wreak havoc with the racing programme on the second weekend of January, a lot of the action went forward and there have been more pointers for the 2021 Cheltenham Festival.
They had been much less fortunate in Ireland, the place Fairyhouse and Navan fell to frost and snow, though each are set to be midweek bonuses on Tuesday and Wednesday instead.
Here are our Cheltenham ante-post eye-catchers from another busy weekend of jumps racing.
Nicholls hopes Buck’s could be big
Odds right at time of publishing and subject to change.
Three miles over hurdles around Cheltenham in the well-known Stewart household purple, white and black silks? We’ve seen this movie earlier than and there will be memories of the excellent four-time Stayers’ Hurdles winner Big Buck’s ought to Barbados Buck’s flip up for the Albert Bartlett come March.
And flip up there he virtually actually will, as coach Paul Nicholls has confirmed that’s now his subsequent target following a powerful Kempton win on Saturday. He made gentle of a double penalty to attain underneath Harry Cobden, seemingly with a lot in hand, and continued his development of enhancing with each begin over timber.
Since finishing second on his first outing over Stratford in October, he has been faultless in winning on all three begins. Victories at Southwell and Kempton have come easily however, in between, he additionally scored on the former monitor when requested to battle for it.
Nicholls suggests it’s robust to know what is in the tank with Barbados Buck’s, however the Ditcheat handler is content material to attempt to find out within the Albert Bartlett, a Cheltenham Festival contest he has by no means gained but one he believes he has an “ideal type” for in Barbados Buck’s. There may be plenty more underneath the bonnet and the six-year-old is a energetic contender for the three-mile novice event.
Adagio advertises Triumph claims
Odds appropriate at time of publishing and topic to change.
There has been a well-recognized “to me, to you” pattern to the Triumph Hurdle since Tiger Roll received in 2014 as Ireland and England have traded prime spot within the Festival juvenile contest ever since.
If that pattern is to continue, the winner come 12 March will be educated in England and Saturday’s Chepstow Finale winner Adagio is now on the front of the queue for the David Pipe team.
Pipe’s father Martin gained the race twice, most just lately in 1995 with Kissair, and the Pond House team have an improving type on their arms.
His lone defeat in four starts over timber got here at Cheltenham in November when second to Gordon Elliott’s Duffle Coat. The Irish coach has the ante-post favorite Zanahiyr, a Grade 1 winner at Leopardstown over Christmas, but Pipe and Tom Scudamore will be feeling good about Adagio after the weekend.
After his defeat to Zanahiyr, Adagio returned to Cheltenham and gained in December then went off second favourite at Chepstow behind Gary Moore’s Nassalam, a winner on each begins at Fontwell.
The pair stretched 20 lengths clear of the sector for their duel and Adagio held sway readily late on. He’s very much on the improve and is the leading residence contender for the Triumph Hurdle now.
Messire making up for misplaced time
Odds right at time of publishing and subject to change.
Going into Saturday’s Dipper Novices’ Chase at Wincanton – re-routed from the postponed New Year’s Day card at Cheltenham – Dan Skelton’s Protektorat was viewed as one of the most exciting younger chasers in Britain.
He had won nicely at Carlisle on his comeback in October and made it 2-2 over fences with an outstanding spherical at Cheltenham’s November Meeting. He was odds-on to win the Dipper, however the writing was on the wall for him a great distance from home.
That was due to the presence of Alan King’s Messire Des Obeaux, who backed up final month’s course-and-distance win at Wincanton in good style for owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.
A Grade 1-winning novice hurdler in 2016-17, he got here up just shy at both Cheltenham and Aintree that season, earlier than a chronic spell on the sidelines kept him off the course for 1,034 days.
He was held on his hurdles return final February, however impressed at Wincanton in December for a profitable start over the bigger obstacles.
Having backed that up in fantastic style to win Saturday’s Grade 2 occasion, eyes will now be darting in direction of the Marsh Novices’ Chase at The Festival.
Envoi Allen casts an extended shadow over that race of course, but the nine-year-old Messire Des Obeaux jumped and travelled supremely properly in the Dipper and is clearly intent on making up for misplaced time.
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